Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. (Philippians 4:4)

I have spent some years struggling to understand the concept of “joy”. When I consider the teaching I’ve heard on this subject, the main thing that stands out is a slogan - “Joy is not the same thing as happiness!” Is this correct?

I’ve searched the Scriptures, and I’ve found that joy is associated with singing and gladness and feasting and celebration. It is contrasted with weeping and grief. So it seems to me that joy is very similar to happiness - indeed, we could almost say that it is a special type of Christian happiness.

Everyone wants to be happy, and many people aren’t, including many Christians. Clearly this elusive “joy” is a very desirable thing. So how do we obtain it - especially in a world that is riven through with suffering? I’ve heard Christians respond in three ways -

Joy instead of suffering

This idea, prevalent in some pentecostal circles, says that it is never God’s intention for his children to suffer, even in this present dark age. Suffering is the opposite of joy, so we achieve joy by eliminating suffering from our lives - usually through prayer, faith and other devotional activities.

Joy after suffering

This idea, common in some conservative churches, essentially says that misery is the lot of man in this world. If we are happy, it is only by accident, and it probably means we are doing something wrong! We shouldn’t expect any real happiness until after we die. In the mean time, we just have to persevere.

Joy in spite of suffering

This idea, promoted very strongly by John Piper, says that joy is available to all Christians in this life in spite of the difficulties we experience. Indeed, Christians are actually commanded to rejoice - it is not an optional extra. I believe that this approach is the most Scriptural.

So how do we accomplish this joy, this happiness, when our world and our lives are so often marked by pain? The short answer is this - by having a heart that truly desires God, that delights in Him, and that sees Him as the greatest good in this life. Such a heart will find joy in the most trying of circumstances - not because your suffering is somehow lessened, but because your vision of God is so much greater than your present trials.

That’s the short answer. The long answer is a lifelong journey of faith - of taming evil desires, casting off idols, and clinging to God as the highest good in all things. I cannot say that I have traveled very far on this journey, but I believe I have taken a few faltering steps along the path to joy. Have you done the same? After all, God has commanded it.